Bilateral involvement of a single cranial nerve: analysis of 578 cases

Neurology. 2005 Sep 27;65(6):950-2. doi: 10.1212/01.wnl.0000176035.29621.fd.

Abstract

The author reviewed 34 years of personal experience with inpatients in a large municipal hospital to analyze the seats and causes of involvement of single pairs of cranial nerves. Among 578 cases, the sixth (n = 234) and second (211) nerves predominated, followed by the fourth (48), seventh (30), third (27), and eighth (18) cranial nerves. Trauma (99), infection (94), tumor (92), increased intracranial pressure (85), vascular disease (74), and demyelination (66) were common causes.

MeSH terms

  • Brain Neoplasms / complications
  • Brain Neoplasms / pathology
  • Brain Stem / pathology
  • Cerebrovascular Disorders / complications
  • Cerebrovascular Disorders / pathology
  • Cranial Nerve Diseases / etiology*
  • Cranial Nerve Diseases / pathology*
  • Cranial Nerve Diseases / physiopathology
  • Cranial Nerves / pathology*
  • Cranial Nerves / physiopathology
  • Demyelinating Diseases / complications
  • Demyelinating Diseases / pathology
  • Functional Laterality*
  • Humans
  • Intracranial Hypertension / complications
  • Intracranial Hypertension / pathology
  • Meningitis / complications
  • Meningitis / pathology
  • Mononeuropathies / etiology*
  • Mononeuropathies / pathology*
  • Mononeuropathies / physiopathology
  • Retrospective Studies
  • Skull Base / pathology
  • Subarachnoid Space / pathology
  • Wounds and Injuries / complications
  • Wounds and Injuries / pathology